Boxing Odds and Ends: Two Undefeated Former Olympians and the ‘Russian Lion’

Two undefeated members of the 2016 French Olympic team were featured today, Dec. 17, at a show at an exposition center in Nantes, France. Christian Mbilli, ranked #2 at 168 pounds by the WBC, and welterweight Souleymane Cissokho won as expected, but both were extended the distance.

Mbilli, of Cameroonian descent, improved to 23-0 (20) with a lopsided 10-round decision over St. Louis invader Vaughn Alexander (17-7-1). 20 KOs). Two of the judges gave Mbilli every round and the other had it 99-91.

On paper, the 37-year-old Alexander, the brother of former two-division title-holder Devon Alexander, was a good measuring rod. Since returning to the ring in 2016 after serving a 12-year prison term for armed robbery, the Missourian had proved to be a good spoiler, upsetting well-touted Money Powell IV and Luis Arias in recent fights. However, he was stopped in two rounds by Zach Parker on his last visit to Europe and fared little better today although he was never knocked down and made it to the final bell.

Co-Feature

In a 12-round contest for a frivolous WBC belt, Olympic silver medalist Souleymane Cissokho improved to 16-0 (10) with a majority decision over South African import Tulani Mbenge (19-2). The judges had it 116-112, 115-113, and 114-114 for the house fighter.

Cissokho, a 31-year-old Frenchman born in Senegal is no stranger to U.S. fight fans. Four of his 16 wins have come in U.S. rings.

Worth noting:

On Friday night in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada, Arslanbek Makhmudov (16-0, 15 KOs) needed only one round to dispose of German no-hoper Michael Wallisch (23-6) who was stopped for the sixth time. Makhmudov, 33, the Montreal-based “Russian Lion,” had Wallisch on the canvas three times before the German quit on his stool complaining of a shoulder injury. One of those knockdowns was caused by an illegal blow to the back of the head which resulted in a point deduction, a moot gesture.

A stablemate of Artur Beterbiev, Makhmudov carried 265 ½ pounds on his 6’5 ½” frame. His outstanding amateur career included a 13-2 mark in five-rounders under the rubric of the World Series of Boxing.

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